Chapter 37: It's not a date
"You know, you scared the shit out of me," Hawks says, staring at the emerald eyes across from him as he takes another sip of coffee. "I'm glad we get a 'take-two' on a coffee shop experience together." Hawks chuckles.
"I can hold my own. I don't need you to worry about me." Jean defends.
Hawks' eyes fix on the spiral burn marks on Jean's hands. "No, no, that's not what I mean. You're a complete badass. Let me just say, I'm thankful to be on your side. Your combination of quirks - or whatever you call them - you're a beast. I just - seeing you on the street like that -"
Jean follows Hawks eyes to the burn marks on her hands, then quickly moves them under the table.
"He burned you!" Hawks snaps, his wings fluff out behind him and his golden eyes furiously jump back to meet Jean's.
"Kei, listen, it's not your fault."
"What kind of hero ends up with his comrades hurt?! I thought it would take my death before I would let anyone harm you, but here we are. I walked away scot-free and you - you're - you saved me. You're hurt. "
"Keigo, I got hurt because I wanted to protect you," Jean says, instinctively reaching out to hold Hawks' hands.
A sudden burst through the door of the coffee shop breaks Hawks' frozen stare in Jean's gentle eyes.
"It's your fault! Stay away from her!"
Before Hawks can turn around, a feather shoots from his wings but is quickly sizzled by the lasers shooting from Scott's eyes. Scott shoves Hawks off his chair. Hawks winces, landing on his right wing.
"Scott, stop!" Jean exclaims, putting herself between the two of them.
"Move, Jean! He's a loser." Scott shouts.
"No, you can't blame Keigo for everything bad that happens! Without him, we would have been killed."
"Without him, you wouldn't have been in that situation!"Scott shoots back. "He's not an X-Man or a leader. All he cares about is himself. First Rogue, now you. Who's next?! And we have his idiot villains on our turf now?!"
"Get out of here, Scott! LEAVE!" Jean screams.
"You're making a huge mistake, Jean. I can't believe you are trusting this asshole over me. I will prove it to you. Just hopefully not too late."
"Don't make me use my powers, Scott," Jean says.
"Jean - if you don't listen - You know what, fine. I'm done. You'll figure it out for yourself."
.***** **** *****.
The breeze shuffles through Rogue's silver-striped auburn hair as she sits on top of the picnic table staring into space. Misty snakes her way across the field, approaching Rogue from behind.
"What are you doing here alone? Are you okay?" Misty asks. "I heard there was a fire at the mansion; thought you would be with the others cleaning up the rubble.
"I'm just- clearing my head," Rogue responds disinterestedly.
"Sounds like you had a rough day." Misty presses as she turns to walk away. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, I'm just —I'm here if you need me, even if just to lend an ear."
"I — wait Misty." She jumps and calls her back. "I actually do want to talk about it. I just — that double."
"Yeah, I'm sure that would be hard. You were almost wrongly accused and saw your team try to kill you."
"No, it's not that. They did the right thing. That double was trying to kill them. It's just— the double was able to touch them."
Misty looks back at Rogue inquisitively.
"A clone of myself was able to touch my friends. I can't touch anyone. It's horrible. If I do, I absorb all their thoughts and feelings, and I'm running out of room. I have so much in there and at times I think all the information is going to make me crazy. My friends got to feel what it's like to be touched by me, but I didn't get to touch them. I feel — robbed."
.***** **** *****.
Hawks looks around at all the eyes in the coffee shop staring at Jean and him.
"I- uh- should we-?" Hawks stammers, gesturing towards the door.
"Yes," Jean says, taking the lead outside.
Hawks grabs his coffee, throws a wad of money onto the table to pay for their drinks, and races after Jean.
"I may have spoken too soon about the coffee shop 'take-two.' Maybe coffee shops aren't our thing." Hawks chuckles.
"He's such an ass. What kind of- the nerve!"
"Jean, it's fine. Let's just enjoy our time together. I mean - " Hawks blushes in disbelief at what he just said.
Jean stops walking and turns to Hawks, grinning.
"I mean- I just mean we have been so stressed. Let's just enjoy being away. Even though we're on a progressional trip, of course. Still working. All work, of course. Just getting some new clothes and- it's not a date. We're just -" Oh my god, I'm such an idiot. What am I even saying?! She's going to -
Jean reaches for Hawks' hand. "Bummer." She smirks.
Hawks glances over Jean's shoulder at the window of the jewelry shop behind her, where a wedding ring is perfectly catching the sunlight and reflecting onto Jean's auburn hair.
"Maybe kind of a date?" He smirks.
.***** **** *****.
"Thanks so much for listening. I just feel a kindredness with you. I don't have many people that really get me as you do." Rogue looks back at her friend.
"I feel the same!" Misty responds. "So who is the new guy around the mansion?"
"Oh, Hawks?"
"What's his story?"
"He's very mysterious. Most of the X-Men like him, but there's a handful that don't trust him. Scott mostly. He's professor's son, which thickens the plot."
"Why does Scott not like him?"
"Well, some villains from his home have been on our turf and-"
"Oh, go on! I love some good gossip." Misty insists, amazed Rogue is divulging information.
"For as fast as you move with everything else, you are the slowest person to try on clothes!" Jean teases from the other side of the dressing room.
"Hey, I've gotta look good, don't I? And these luxurious wings- they don't just magically get in my shirt. It takes finesse."
Jean laughs, teasingly rolling her eyes at Hawks when he opens the door to the dressing room.
Hawks confidently poses in his new clothes, popping the collar of his maroon-colored leather jacket. He steps forward, lifting his gray shirt to show the gold belt on top of his faded but crisp blue jeans. With the teal shoes on his feet, though, he seems especially enamored. Hawks looks back up to Jean, smiling from ear to ear.
"Do you like it?"
"Like?! I LOVE it!" Hawks emotes, taking the visor and headphones Jean was holding and placing them on his head. Hawks stares back at the trifold mirror to his left.
"It looks great!" She exclaims, jumping into his arms.
The hug probably only lasted for a few seconds, but it felt like all of the time had stopped. The smell of her hair, the warmth of her body against his, the feeling of his arms around her as he had wished for thousands of times before. It all comes flooding through Hawks as he begins crying softly on her shoulder.
.***** **** *****.
Hawks and Jean walk back through the gate. Hawks, whose hand is resting comfortably in Jean's, silently wishes the evening would not end. He looks into her eyes, then up to the fast-moving dark sky were gray clouds begin to hover. In the distance, rumbles of thunder echo.
"Jean I have something to say. Well, I've been wanting to for a while," Hawks hand rub the back of his neck. How do I tell her?
Jean places her hands on Hawks' shoulders. Staring into her eyes, Hawks swallows the lump of nerves that seemed to be residing there.
"Jean I-"
Just then a booming, gruff voice cuts off Hawks' words.
"Red, Feathers — there you two are." Logan stops his motorcycle in front of them. "We have an emergency."
"What's going on Silver Claws?"
"We can't find Rogue."
